Translocation and incorporation of strontium carbonate derived strontium into calcium oxalate crystals by the wood decay fungus Resinicium bicolor

The white-rot wood decay fungus Resinicium. bicolor (Abertini & Schwein.: F r.) Parmasto was studied for its ability to solubilize and translocate ions from the naturally occurring mineral strontianite. Resinicium bicolor colo nized a soil mixture culture medium containing strontianite sand, solubiliz ed strontium ions from this mineral phase, translocated the ions vertically , and reprecipitated the strontium into strontium-containing calcium oxalat e crystals. Storage of the Sr in crystals was highest in mycelial cards and was dynamic in character. These results suggest that non-mycorrhizal sapro trophic fungi should be evaluated for their potential participation in fore st nutrient cycling via biologically weathering parent material and translo cating the mobilized mineral nutrients vertically within soils.